§ Mr. Greville Janner (Leicester, West)I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 20, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely,
the Government's award of a contract for the Harrier GR5 Mission Stimulator"—[Interruption.] I am glad that I have stimulated the Government, and wish that I could do so more often. I should have said,
Simulator Singer Link Miles, using its own United States associate's proposal and the rejection of the United Kingdom's Marconi visual system".The matter is specific in that it refers to one vital contract. It is urgent because the decision has just been taken. It is crucial to my constituency, because the factory involved is on New Parks estate. The issue is also crucial to Leicestershire, because 280 man years of work are involved in the initial contract and many of the workers come from various parts of the county, as shown by the joint representations made by the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Latham), the right hon. Member for Bosworth (Sir A. Butler) and myself, to the Secretary of State for Defence, to which he has not listened.The matter is vital to the nation as it involves yet another sell out to the United States. If the contract is retained here, the benefits to United Kingdom industry are that it would secure the position for Marconi and this country in world markets, would promote the United Kingdom development of a very important high technology product, would encourage the United Kingdom in developing supporting products, would promote Commonwealth and industrial co-operation and it would contribute to the maintenance and growth of United Kingdom employment opportunities. All that is to be thrown away in return for a very small additional temporary benefit. It is a disgrace, and the House should consider the matter now and not simply hand over such technology to the United States without giving our industry a chance to develop and use it.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. and learned Gentleman asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely,
the Government's award of a contract for the Harrier GR5 Mission Simulator Singer Link Miles, using its own United States associate's proposal and the rejection of the United Kingdom's Marconi visual system.I regret that I must give the hon. and learned Gentleman the same answer as I gave to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North (Mr. McNamara). I do not consider the matter that the hon. and learned Gentleman has raised to be appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 20 and, therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.